Apple to Introduce a Curved-Glass iPhone 5?

Digitimes reports that according to industry sources, Apple is planning to adopt a "curved cover glass" for its next generation iPhone.

Cover glass makers are reluctant to commit investment to the purchase of glass cutting equipment due to the high capital involved, said the sources.

According to those same sources, Apple has purchased 200-300 glass cutting machines to be used by glass makers.

There has been no timetable yet for the volume production of iPhone 5 as Apple is currently still working with related suppliers including those involved in cover glass, glass cutting, lamination and touch sensors to improve yield rates, the sources commented.

It's hard to say what type of design a "curved cover glass" iPhone would adopt. It would also fly against recent claims and beliefs that the iPhone 5 will adopt a generally similar-to the iPhone 4 form factor but with only minor modifications.


Apple has previously used curved glass in the previous generation iPod Nano. Image above from DailyMail.co.uk.

The Samsung Nexus S uses a concave curved screen. The reasoning behind the move was for comfort:

Well, our tipster tells us Samsung's been shopping this curved display technology to carriers for a while -- as early as CES at the beginning of this year behind closed doors -- claiming that its research showed such a design improved perceived usability over a perfectly flat display.

(Quoted from: MacRumors)

Largan rumored to supply 8MP camera for Apple's next iPhone in Q3 2011

Providing more evidence that the next-generation iPhone will include an improved 8-megapixel camera, a new report says Taiwan's Largan Precision is expected to supply the necessary components.

Industry sources in Taiwan reportedly told DigiTimes that Largan could receive "possible orders" from Apple in the third quarter of 2011. That would align with rumors that Apple will not release its next iPhone until the end of the company's 2011 fiscal year, which concludes in late September.

According to the report, most of Largan's current business comes from selling 5-megapixel lenses, while 8-megapixel camera modules represent just 10 percent of the company's business. But that percentage could change drastically if the company does secure orders from Apple for its so-called "iPhone 5."

Largan already supplies 5-megapixel lenses for the iPhone 4, and last year it was said that the company was selected as the sole supplier of lenses for the iPad 2. The iPad 2 was released in March with a forward-facing camera, as well as a rear-facing one.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with Concord Securities told AppleInsider in September that the next iPhone will feature "slight modifications" from its predecessor, including a new 8-megapixel rear camera. Other reports have suggested the next-generation iPhone will include both CDMA and GSM radios, making it a world phone compatible with both the AT&T and Verizon networks in the U.S.

Picture quality on the new iPhone is also expected to be improved with a separate component for an improved LED flash. Various reports, including one earlier Tuesday, have suggested the flash will be moved farther from the camera lens to reduce red eye.

(Quoted from AppleInsider)

Phishing and Malware Emails Posing as Apple and the iPhone 5 Launch

We've received a number of warnings from readers over the last couple of weeks about fraudulent emails that look a lot like official Apple emails. These emails are structured just like Apple's promotional emails, but are actually attempts to lure unsuspecting customers into entering their Apple IDs and other personal information. Such so called "phishing" attempts are common and readers should be wary about following links from any emails.

What caught our eye is that the latest round of these fraudulent emails are actually leveraging the hype around the next generation iPhone. The latest email (pictured above) passes itself off as an Apple launch email for the iPhone 5. (Full size). It cobbles together various photos from the internet and entices users to click on "Learn More". The learn more link, however, links to a Windows executable which we presume to be malware (virus, trojan, keylogger, etc...), so readers are warned to avoid clicking on any links from these emails.



Reports of compromised App Store and Apple ID accounts have generated a lot of press in the past due to the scale of the iTunes Stores. It was believed that account details were stolen using these sort of techniques rather than any sort of vulnerability in iTunes itself.

Another example of a fraudulent email:

Prototype of Original Apple TV ('iTV') Hits eBay

An eBay listing for a prototype of the original Apple TV has appeared on the auction site, giving interested users nearly a month to snap up the collectible item with a "Buy It Now" price of $350.


Photos accompanying the listing show an Apple Development Team inventory barcode on the side along with a sticker marking the unit as a "DVT" prototype and listing the manufacturers of a number of components used inside the device. The device also has a plain Apple logo on its top as had been used when the device was initially previewed as the "iTV". Apple added a "tv" next to the logo for the shipping version of the product, which was renamed "Apple TV".


The photos also show the device booted up and displaying the stock photo screensaver, although it is not connected to the Internet and the item's description indicates that it has not been fully tested for functionality. Interestingly, despite the hardware bearing a resemblance to the pre-2007 iTV, the device does appear to have received software updates since that time, as it is running the more modern user interface introduced as Apple TV 3.0 in late 2009.

Prototypes of Apple hardware do appear from time to time on eBay, with some notable examples including third-generation iPod touches, a Mac Pro, and an early MacBook Air. Many of these listings have been quickly pulled, presumably at the request of Apple once they come to its attention.

(Quoted from MacRumors)

iPhone 5 a 'major redesign' with multi-touch button, 3.7-inch screen [Updated]

A new report claims recent rumors of a minor revision to Apple's next-generation iPhone are inaccurate, positing instead that Apple will completely redesign the handset to possibly include a "gesture area" home button and a 3.7-inch edge-to-edge screen [Update: This report has since been deemed inaccurate].

In a highly speculative report, Joshua Topolsky of This is my next claimed Friday that sources have told him that the iPhone 5 will "radically change." The report comes as a follow-up to a previous report that he wrote while serving as Editor in Chief at technology blog Engadget.

It should be noted, however, that Topolsky's sources should be taken with a grain of salt, as his prior report claimed that the iPad 2 would launch in April with a "super high resolution" display, SD slot and dual mode GSM and CDMA 3G radios. Prior to the launch of the iPad 2, Engadget changed its predictions, citing engineering issues that led Apple to make last-minute changes to the device.

Update: In addition to the initial skepticism surrounding this report, at least one trusted publication has gone on record to state that the claims made by Topolsky are not true.

According to Friday's report, the home button on the iPhone 5 will be enlarged and will perform double duty as a "gesture area." Sources also indicated that Apple is doing very "interesting things" with bonded glass technology and could push the edges of the screen all the way out to the edge, moving the earpiece and sensors "behind the screen itself."

The report also claimed that Apple would increase the iPhone screen size from its current 3.5-inch display to a 3.7-inch one, while keeping the current resolution. The change would reduce the device's pixel density from 326 pixels-per-inch to 312ppi, though it would still remain above the 300ppi "sweet spot" that Apple uses to claim "Retina Display" technology.

"Our sources say the new model (or at least one of the new designs in testing) looks “more like the iPod touch than the iPhone 4.” The phone will be thinner than the iPhone 4, and may have a “teardrop” shape which goes from thick to thin (something along the lines of the MacBook Air profile)," Topolsky wrote.

Topolsky also claimed that art he had been shown seemed to indicate "some form of inductive or touch charging," but cautioned that sources were unable to confirm whether Apple was planning the feature. He speculated that a "swipe area" seen in drawings could be for a Near Field Communication sensor and reiterated his prior claim that the iPhone 5 will take advantage of Qualcomm's dual GSM/ CDMA Gobi chipset to make the device a "world phone."

The report included a mockup based on a sketch supplied by a source. A side view of the mockup depicts the tapered "teardrop shape."

Topolsky himself couched the report as unverified. "Keep in mind that this info isn’t fact — we’re getting lots of threads from lots of places and trying to make sense of the noise," he said. "The versions of devices our sources are seeing could be design prototypes and not production-ready phones."

It should also be noted that the report goes against the grain of other recent reports. Numerous reports have suggested lately that the iPhone 5 has been pushed back to a fall release and will feature only "slight modifications," such as the inclusion of the A5 processor and an 8 megapixel rear camera.

For instance, Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, whose supplier sources have been mostly accurate as of late, indicated earlier this week that the iPhone 5 will not feature an all-new-design.

(Quoted from AppleInsider)

Apple to launch new iPhone with faster processor, same look in September 2011

A new report claims Apple suppliers will begin production of its next-generation iPhone, which will feature a faster processor but few changes to its look, in July for a launch that will likely occur in September of this year.

Citing three people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported on Wednesday that Apple's next iPhone will arrive in September. The device will allegedly boast a faster processor while looking "largely similar to the iPhone 4," the report read, without providing further details.

Reuters' sources roughly corroborate a recent note from Concorde Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo told AppleInsider earlier this week that Apple's so-called iPhone 5 would go into mass production in September.

Kuo's checks with the supply chain indicate the that iPhone 5 will include the faster A5 processor currently found in the iPad 2 and an 8-megapixel rear camera. He has also been told that the next-generation smartphone would sport a Qualcomm baseband for both GSM and CDMA models and make use of an improved antenna design.

Previous reports had also suggested that Apple would push the release of the next iPhone past the summer. In years past, Apple has released a new iPhone every summer since the first-generation iPhone launched in 2008.

Last week, sources at touch panel makers told DigiTimes that Apple had yet to release a production roadmap for the iPhone 5, making a summer launch unlikely.

It has been suggested that supply disruption related to the Japan earthquake in March has contributed to the rumored delays. Others point to a "major overhaul" as the reason for the prolonged release, though that appears to conflict with Wednesday's rumor.

Avian Securities has also echoed reports of a September launch for the iPhone 5. A recent client noted from analyst Brian White of Ticonderoga Securities said that Asian sources believe the iPhone 5 is on track for an October launch in china.

(Quoted from AppleInsider)

Mass production of Apple's A5-, Qualcomm-powered iPhone 5 rumored for Sept.

Apple's iPhone 5 will feature "slight modifications" from its predecessor, including an 8 megapixel rear camera and a Qualcomm baseband for both GSM and CDMA models, and will go into production in September, a new report claims.






Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with Concord Securities issued a note on Monday offering alleged details of the next iPhone. His checks with supply chain sources indicated that the next handset from Apple will not feature an all-new-design, but rather only "slight modifications" from the iPhone 4.

Specifically, Kuo has heard that the iPhone 5 will include the faster A5 processor already found in the iPad 2, as well as a higher resolution 8 megapixel rear camera. He has also been told that Apple will switch to a Qualcomm baseband for both GSM and CDMA models, along with an improved antenna design.

Kuo has also been told that the new iPhone will go into trial production in August and mass production in September, allowing Apple to reach shipment volumes of between 28 million and 32 million units this year. That would align with previous reports that have indicated Apple plans to make its new iPhone available for sale later than usual this year, likely in Apple's next fiscal year beginning in October.

The earthquake and tsunami disaster have reportedly resulted in constrained supplies for Apple, which plans to focus components toward building the new iPhone 5 later this year. As a result of those component shortages, Kuo said to not be surprised if a new fifth-generation iPod touch is not announced as usual in September this year.

Kuo's report also presumes that Apple will unveil its fifth-generation iPhone at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, scheduled for June 6 through 10 in San Francisco. However, other reports have indicated that Apple does not plan to introduce any new hardware at this year's event, choosing instead to focus on iOS 5 and Mac OS X 10.7 Lion software.

In addition, if Kuo's information about production in September is correct, it is highly unlikely that Apple would announce a new iPhone in June, three months before the device is even scheduled to be built in large quantities.

Regardless, Kuo said he believes the "main selling point" of the iPhone 5, due to its similar design to the iPhone 4, will be the new iOS 5 mobile operating system. Kuo expects a more dramatic hardware change to the iPhone in 2012 when the presumed sixth-generation model will arrive.

Kuo said he has heard that Apple plans a new design and greatly improved hardware specifications for the sixth-generation iPhone. Sources have also indicated that the device could go on sale in the first half of 2012, an earlier-than-usual date due to "fierce competition" with Google's Android mobile platform.

In January, Kuo correctly claimed that Apple's iPad 2 would feature the same 1024-by-768-pixel display as the first-generation iPad, and that it would use the same cameras as the iPod touch, which are of lower quality than the iPhone 4.

Kuo also said in March that Apple was set to begin production of the white iPhone 4 and ship the device in April. Last week, numerous reports confirmed that Apple will make the white iPhone 4 available for sale in the "next few weeks."

(Quoted from AppleInsider)

Apple keeping iPhone 5 cards 'extra close to the vest' in supply chain

As rumors of a later-than-usual iPhone launch for 2011 persist, a new report reveals that the notoriously secretive Apple is being even more careful than usual when dealing with overseas suppliers.

"Apple is keeping its iPhone 5 cards extra close to the vest on this launch to avoid a falloff in iPhone 4 demand ahead of a refresh, especially given the February launch of the CDMA iPhone 4 with Verizon," Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said in a note to investors on Friday. He believes that the iPhone 5 could still launch in June or July, as previous models have.

White noted that various rumors have pointed toward a launch later than June this year for the fifth-generation iPhone. One report from March alleged that Apple has not even begun ordering components for the anticipated "iPhone 5," and the device is slated to arrive in the company's 2012 fiscal year, which begins in late September.

And a third report alleged that Apple is working on a major revamp of iOS, its mobile operating system, for version 5.0. New features like cloud-based storage of music, photos and video are rumored to arrive in the update this fall, likely alongside new iPhone hardware.

But despite all of those reports, White isn't yet convinced that the iPhone 5 will be introduced later than its typical June or July timeframe.

"Although we do not have a smoking gun that definitively rules out a delayed autumn unveiling or one that supports a launch this summer, there is a pattern of activity in motion with the supply chain that makes us question a delayed launch," he said.

White also cited sources who indicated that iPad sales could reach up to 40 million units in calendar year 2011. And supply chain sources also indicated that disruption from the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan will actually end up benefitting Apple, as suppliers will "rush to support Apple at the expense of competitors."

The analyst already revealed earlier this week that Apple has been offering upfront cash payments to component suppliers in order to secure components in the wake of the disaster in Japan. Apple has apparently also been using a "three cover guarantee," referring to capacity, stock and price, to block out competitors and prevent them from building ample supply of devices.

(Quoted from AppleInsider)

Apple's A5 processor could pave way for larger chip trend

Despite sharing similar specifications, Apple's bigger A5 System on a Chip processor used in the iPad 2 has posted better performance than Nvidia's Tegra 2 chip, causing one analyst to believe that Apple is leading a trend toward larger, faster mobile processors.

Responding to another analyst's claims that, from a semiconductor perspective, "Apple is falling behind - way behind," analyst Didier Scemama of RBS issued a report on Friday defending the A5's larger footprint, Barrons reports.

Given that the A5 is 122 square millimeters in dimension, compared to the Tegra 2's 49 square millimeters, Scemama finds the difference "surprising" because both processors have similar specifications: "dual core Cortex-A9 ARM CPU, high-end GPU, HD video, high-end audio and imaging."

That size difference is partly attributed to the 45-nanometer process used by Samsung to build the A5, as Nvidia used Taiwan Semiconductor's smaller 40-nanometer process.

According to Scemama, "the major difference in specification between the chips is that Apple uses Imagination Technologies‘ PowerVR SGX543 dual-core GPU in the A5 and Nvidia uses its own GPU called GeForce.”

The PowerVR SGX543, which AppleInsider was first to report would be included in the iPad 2, provides a dramatic boost in graphics power. Though Apple claims a 9x graphics speed bump from the original iPad to the iPad 2, real world tests suggest the second-generation tablet has roughly 5x the graphics power of its predecessor.

The analyst cited OpenGL benchmark tests that show "that the A5 beat Tegra 2 handsomely." When tested against the Tegra 2-powered Motorola Xoom tablet, the iPad 2 performed 3.7x better than the Xoom.

The Tegra 2's slower performance may be a result of cost limitations that Nvidia faces with its customers, the report noted. Scemama believes that Nvidia needs to keep the Tegra 2 chip in the $15 to $20 range. In contrast, UBM TechInsight estimates that Apple's new chip costs $25 to make, though the research firm speculates that high volume, generated by building A5 into a range of products such as the iPhone 5 and next-generation iPod touch, could bring the costs down to $15.

"Apple can afford to use a larger chip, which delivers substantially better performance, as it pays a fraction of the price it would pay if it used an off-the-shelf solution with similar performance," said Scemama.

Scemama speculates that ARM and Imagination Technologies would benefit from an ensuing spec race as competitors attempt to match Apple in terms of performance.

"Given the current gap in performance between the A5 from Apple and other competing chips, we believe it is possible higher performance (and therefore potentially larger die size) processors may be required by OEMs. This may explain the current race among ARM partners to launch higher performance processors in terms of CPU but also, crucially, GPU," he noted.

Nvidia's price limits could stem from struggles by rival tablet makers to keep costs down while remaining competitive with the iPad on features and performance.

Last year, Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted that the company's "potential competitors [in tablets] are having a tough time coming close to iPad's pricing. iPad incorporates everything we've learned about building high value products. We create our own A4 chip, software, battery chemistry, enclosure, everything. This results in an incredible product at a great price. The proof will be in the pricing of our competitors' products, which will offer less for more. "

Jobs' words rang true this spring when Motorola revealed a $799 price tag for the entry level Xoom, despite the company's use of the cheaper Tegra 2 chip. Shortly after Apple unveiled the iPad 2, Motorola announced a $599 Wi-Fi only version of the Xoom.

(Quoted from AppleInsider)

iPhone 5 於 6 月 6 日 @ Apple WWDC 2011 發表?

過去幾年 Apple 都在 6 月公佈新的 iPhone 消息，iPhone 4 就是於去年 6 月 8 日WWDC 上發表的，相信今年新一代 iPhone 也不例外吧! Apple 剛發表了 WWDC 2011  (Worldwide Developers Conference) 將於 6/6 舉行，內容主要是圍繞 iOS 及 Mac OS 而且一如以往地，新聞稿沒有提及 iPhone 會在當日發表，不過大家已經習慣 Apple 在 6 月的WWDC 中發表 iPhone 了。

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2011/03/28wwdc.html

(Quoted from unwire.hk)

Could future iPhones chargeable by the Sun?

Mark Spoonauer at LAPTOP got a nice story at CTIA today when he sat down with French company Wysips. The prototype he saw puts a solar panel -- a transparent solar panel, thin enough to work with touchscreens -- directly atop the screen of a phone, and with enough oomph to charge the phone with light.
The photovoltaic film (less than 100 microns deep) is only in the development phase now, but Wysips is looking forward to working with glass manufacturers (like Corning, makers of the Gorilla Glass that covers the iPhone 4) to integrate the charger film directly into screen glass.
The solar layer will generate power in room light or sunlight; this version will fully charge a phone in about 6 hours of light exposure, with future generations becoming more efficient as the technology matures. Like the plug-in hybrid technology in today's cars, it might not be enough juice to get you cross-country -- but if the solar film is cheap enough, it would certainly provide a power boost when you're away from your charger.
Fun stuff. Check out the post on LAPTOP's blog and the accompanying gallery of the Wysips prototype.

(Quoted from Tuaw)

iPhone 5 Due in Q3, 4-Inch Screen, Metal Chassis?

China Times reports (via GadgetsDNA) that the iPhone 5 has entered trial production and is due for production in the 3rd Quarter of this year. Other details from the Chinese newspaper seem to echo previous rumors that the new iPhone 5 will have a metal chassis to improve antenna sensitivity as well as a 4-inch touch screen.



Screenshot of iPhone 5 Parts video from January
Many of the rumors so far seem to be pointing to an iPhone 4-like frame for the new iPhone 5. Looking back at old rumors, an iPhone 5 parts video that surfaced back in January may have actually been an early look at the iPhone 5 casing (photo above).

That video actually first revealed the new antenna dividers found on the Verizon iPhone, but also included a SIM card slot that does not appear in the Verizon iPhone. It's believed that the iPhone 5 may support both CDMA and GSM networks in one phone. The Verizon iPhone has already been found to use a Qualcomm chip that can support both networks.

(Quoted from MacRumors & Written by Arnold Kim)

Alleged engineering sketches show Apple's iPhone 5 with edge-to-edge screen

New pictures claimed to be "mold engineering drawings" of Apple's anticipated iPhone 5 shows the alleged next-generation handset with the same form factor as the iPhone 4, but with a slightly larger edge-to-edge display.

The images from iDealsChina are rumored to be used by engineers to create cases to sell for the iPhone 5. Of late, third-party cases for devices like the iPhone and iPad have offered hints at the design of unannounced products.

"A while back we [heard] rumors that [the] iPhone 5 would have a curved back," the site reads, "but these images show iPhone 5 with the same form factor as iPhone 4 but with an edge to edge screen."

The rest of the case shows the design of the alleged iPhone 5 largely unchanged from the iPhone 4. If accurate, that would dispel a recent rumor that Apple plans to ditch the glass back and opt for an aluminum backing.

The designs also support a separate rumor from the Far East that Apple will expand the screen size of its next-generation handset. While the iPhone 4 sports a 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 960 by 640 pixels, some designs have shown a potential 4-inch screen squeezed onto an iPhone with the same size.

(Quoted from AppleInsider)
By Sam Oliver

iPhone 5 Design Images with Larger Edge-to-Edge Screen?

iDealsChina claims to have engineering diagrams of the new iPhone 5. The images look pretty much like an iPhone 4 with the exception of a larger screen which seems to take up a larger portion of the front face. The designs are consistent with the photo of the bezel that was posted previously by the site, though there have been some questions of that image's authenticity.

We just got what appears to be mold engineering drawings for iPhone 5. These would be used by case designers to create plastic, TPU, aluminum, silicone and leather cases. A while back we hear rumors that iPhone 5 would have a curved back but these images show iPhone 5 with the same form factor as iPhone 4 but with an edge to edge screen.

Chinese accessory manufacturers clearly get access to early design documents as has been evidenced multiple times. The early iPad 2 cases were indeed accurate representations of the iPad 2. iDealsChina was also the source of a design rendering of the 4th Generation iPod Nano which turned out to be an accurate depiction of the then-unreleased iPod Nano.

If this is indeed an accurate design document, we would expect to see accessory companies to start creating actual cases. We should warn that even if this is a real "design document", we've also seen cases for products that have never been released. The most notable is the iPhone Nano which saw several case designs from different manufacturers.

(Quoted from: MacRumors)
Written by Arnold Kim

Apple rumored to enter new collaboration with Canon

Apple is said to be teaming up with Canon in a new partnership related to photography, although details are scant.

Canon builds cameras for both still photography and video, as well as producing copiers printers and other imaging devices. That suggests the "upcoming collaboration" with Apple, noted by Alex Johnson of CanonRumors, could pertain to Aperture or the upcoming redesign of Final Cut.

Aperture

Apple has won over a new audience of professional and prosumer photographers with Aperture since the opening of the Mac App Store, where the title has remained in the top ten best selling apps since the store launched.

Aperture is currently number one in Top Grossing apps, costing $79.99. That's a steep discount from the $199 retail price that Aperture 3 debuted at last year. Aperture's exclusive spot in the Mac App Store has given it a high volume, alternative retail outlet where it doesn't compete for attention with Adobe's comparable Lightroom.

The new attention (and revenues) that Aperture is getting could promote a new cross promotional collaboration with Canon's cameras. Johnson himself is a professional wedding photographer, suggesting the "pieces of information" he noted may likely relate to Canon's photography business.

Final Cut and iMovie

Another potential collaboration with Canon may involve Final Cut, slated for a "dramatic and ambitious" update this spring. Like Aperture, Final Cut hasn't seen a major new reference release since 2009. When Apple releases its next Final Cut package, it's likely to do so in partnership with one or more hardware makers.

Apple reportedly ran into problems in shipping a Final Cut Studio update last year, with the Shake and Motion teams unable to achieve consensus on plans to merge the entire package into a unified user interface that focused on the mainstream market rather than developing a targeted, leading edge niche product.

Apple could also target consumer devices with iMovie features such as the company's iFrame video format, which imports high quality video from cameras quickly without requiring conversion. Canon recently added support for iMovie 8's iFrame video capture on some PowerShot and IXUS branded point and shoot cameras.

MobileMe Photo Stream

A third potential area for collaboration between Apple and Canon pertains to the company's MobileMe cloud services. iOS 4.3 betas contained a new Photo Booth app and mention of Photo Stream, an automatic photo upload service that could upload images and video to the cloud.

Neither feature has yet made it to shipping devices, but will likely do so in the near future. iPad 2 will debut Photo Booth and FaceTime support when it ships on Friday, and scaled down versions of Photo Booth and the Photo Stream service could potentially ship in the next release of iOS due before the major 5.0 version expected this summer, rumored to appear alongside significant new updates in MobileMe.

Canon already supports WiFi enabled SD Cards in some of its cameras. By adding support for the Photo Stream and other MobileMe services, the company could attract the attention of iOS users who already subscribe to MobileMe on their Mac or PC, iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

AirPlay and AirPrint

Canon could also announce support for iOS 4.3 AirPlay (as Pioneer recently did for its new audio receivers) or AirPrint features (currently limited largely to printers from HP and EFI's Fiery print server).

(Quoted from: AppleInsider)
By Daniel Eran Dilger

My Opinion

It's a good news and Apple is smart to cooperate with Canon because Canon has diversity on printing and brilliant photography accessories.  The most important thing is that Apple do not have any inimical business with Canon.

White iPhone 4 to Ship Early Next Month?

AppleInsider reports on comments from Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claiming that Apple's manufacturing partners will finally begin ramping up production of the white iPhone sometime this month, with a launch expected to occur in early April. According to the report, sources have limited their information to the GSM version of the iPhone 4, with no information available on whether the CDMA iPhone now available on Verizon in the United States will also see a white version.

Apple is expected to begin production of its long-awaited iPhone 4 sometime this month, with shipments no later than early April, according to one analyst's checks.

Manufacturers will initiate production of the GSM-based iPhone 4 version in white enclosures and begin dispatching them to Apple ahead of general availability planned for next month, Concord Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told AppleInsider. Apple has made changes the "film material to solve the full-lamination problem that [was] the reason why white iPhones [were] delayed," he added.

Originally announced alongside the black iPhone 4 in June 2010, the white iPhone 4 was quickly pushed back to a late July release. As that date approached, Apple again announced a delay to later in the year before moving in October to push the launch back once more to "spring" 2011.

Despite claims immediately following the October delay that Apple planned to cancel the white iPhone 4 entirely, hints of the white iPhone 4 began appearing earlier this year at Best Buy and AT&T. Those appearances almost certainly occurred, however, as retailers made changes based on Apple's previously-announced timeline rather than on any actual availability.

Apple has remained quiet regarding the white iPhone 4 in recent months, although Steve Jobs did make it a point to note at the iPad 2 introduction last week that the white version of Apple's popular tablet will in fact ship at the same time as the black version later this week.

Word of an early April launch for the white iPhone 4 comes just as a rumor of an iOS-focused media event surfaces for around the same time. If that rumor proves accurate, the event could provide an opportunity for Apple to announce the white iPhone 4 launch if it chooses not to simply release the device quietly on its website at some point.

(Quoted from: MacRumors)
Written by Eric Slivka

Rumor: iOS 4.3 today at 10 AM PT, including WiFi hotspot

A rumor fresh out of BGR claims that iOS 4.3 may debut today at 10 AM Pacific Time. This release date is earlier than the March 11 date suggested last week when the gold master version of the mobile operating system was released to developers.
BGR also claims the widely-reported three device WiFi limit of the personal hotspot feature is incorrect. According to anonymous sources, the carrier determines the limit of personal hotspot connections and can allow five devices to connect if it so chooses. That's in direct contradiction to Apple's iOS 4.3 page, however, which says that the feature supports only three devices via WiFi plus an extra two devices via USB and Bluetooth respectively. It's possible that BGR's sources got the five-device number without realizing that Apple is counting Bluetooth and USB separately from the three-device WiFi limit.

[Interestingly, Verizon's version of the personal hotspot feature is listed as supporting five WiFi devices, full stop. That does lend some traction to the BGR five-device concept, but remember that VZW iPhones aren't running 4.3 and won't be for a while yet. –Ed.]
We can't confirm the validity of the iOS release time, so take it with a grain of salt. On the bright side, we shall know in a mere few hours if this is the real deal or merely a false alarm.

(Quoted from: tauw)